Retractable or mechanical ball-point pens include a housing in which a tube or cartridge with an ink reservoir and a writing point is inserted. By means of a push button and an operating mechanism, the reservoir tube can be moved back and forth between a writing position in which the writing point protrudes out of the housing and a position of rest in which the writing point is located within the housing. A spring for pressing the reservoir tube in the direction of the position of rest is arranged between the housing and the reservoir tube. The operating mechanism is also received in the housing; the push button of the operating mechanism protrudes out of the housing and the reservoir tube presses on the operating mechanism on the side facing away from the push button. The housing is usually composed of at least two components; in that case, the housing is composed of a long component at the side of the writing point and a shorter component facing the push button, wherein the long component has an internal thread and the short component has a corresponding external thread. While many of these devices exist, assembly complications lead to disadvantages in high speed manufacturing.